KHALED (2002)

Life in an inner city housing project is tough for Khaled (D’Ascenzo), a feisty 10-year-old boy who is the son of a white Quebecois mother (Duquet) and a North African father he never knew. At school, his classmates taunt him. At home, his mother, an ex-junkie, is becoming increasingly ill. When his mother suddenly dies, out of fear of being sent to a foster home, Khaled keeps her death a secret and tries to carry on his daily life. But soon the building manager comes looking for rent, the social worker starts asking questions, and neighbors begin to notice a strange smell coming from the apartment. “Shot documentary style on video, the tightly paced movie offers a matter-of-fact account of Khaled’s nasty reality.” — Maurie Alioff, Take One